Bilge water pumping apparatus



Nqv. 2,A 1948.y c. n. wElRv BILGE WATER PUMPING APPARATUS v.2|Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 24, 1947 l Im/ENTOR.

Nov.` 2, 1948. c. wElR I BILGE WATER PUMPING APPARATUS V2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V Filed Jan. 24, 1947 www Patented Nov. 2, 1948 LIMITED STATE aTsNT ENCE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a pumping apparatus for automatically bailing out water from the bilge of a boat which may get into the hold of the same through leakage, seepage or otherwise.

Usually bilge water is 'removed from the bottom of a boat by means of a manually or power operated bilge pump which is unsatisfactory because the same is liable to be neglected when depending on manually operated means or the same requires costly equipment and attention when employing power operated means.

It is the object of this invention to provide a pumping mechanism of simple and durable construction which is operated constantly by the rocking action while the boat in which it is installed is resting on tossing water and either in active use or when moored and unattended, thereby keeping the craft perfectly dry at all times.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale, of -a' bilge water pumping apparatus embodying this invention, and taken on line l-I, Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a similar View taken on line 2--2, Fig. 3.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are horizontal sections, on a reduced scale. taken respectively on lines 3 3, 4-4 and E--5, Fig. 1.

1n the following description the like reference characters indicate the same parts in the several gures of the drawings.

The working parts of this pumping apparatus are supported and enclosed by a housing or frame which comprises a lower downwardly (lished casing section I0 which is provided on its underside with rubber buttons or feet l l which are adapted to rest on the bottom or other suitable part of the boat from the hold of which Water is to be removed, and an upwardly dished upper casing section 9 which is detachably connected with the lower casing section by bolts I2 passing through annular flanges I3, lli projecting outwardly from the opposing peripheral edges of these sections, shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Y

Within the lower section of the casing is arranged a valve block or body I5 which is secured to the central part of the bottom of this section by means of screws I6. On its underside the valve block is provided with a cavity which, together with the bottom of the lower casing section, forms a water inlet chamber Il adapted to receive bilge water which is to be removed from the bottom of the hold. For this purpose the lower central part of this valve block is provided with a lower inlet passage I8 the inner end of which opens into the inlet chamber and the outer end of which communicates with the bilge of the boat by a rubber hose i3 or other suitable means.

On its upper side the valve block is provided with a cavity which together with a lid 2li secured to the top of this block by screws 2l, forms an upper outlet chamber 22 from which water taken l from the hold of the boat is discharged overboard. For this purpose the central part of the valve block is provided with an outlet passage 23 which has its inner end communicating with the outlet chamber while its outer end connects with a discharge hose 2li leading over the side of the boat which is being cleared of water in its hold,

The numerals 25 represent a plurality of contractible and expansible bulbs of rubber or other elastic or flexible material arranged in an annular row within the casing. These bulbs rest with their undersides on the bottom of the casing and the upper sides o the same are engaged by means whereby the same may be depressed and released so as to alternately draw water into the bulbs and expel the same therefrom. Inlet and outlet check means are provided in connection with each bulb so that when the same expands water will be drawn from the inlet chamber il into the bulb and when the bulb is compressed the water there in will be discharged therefrom into the outlet chamber 22,Y Although this valve mechanism may be of Tarious forms the same is constructed as follows:

Each of the bulbs has its tubular inner neck connected with the periphery of the valve body i5 so that the interior of the bulb communicates with a water passage or port 2e formed in the block and opening its lower and upper ends into f' the water inlet and outlet chambers il, 22 respecm.

tively. 1n its lower part each water port is provided with an inwardly facing inlet valve seat 2l which is controlled by an inlet valve ball 28 and .in its upper part this port is provided with an outwardly facing valve Sea-t 2e which is controlled by an outlet valve ball 3U.

Upon releasing a bulb so that the same is permitted to expand due to its resilience the same lifts the corresponding inlet valve 23 from its seat and draws water through the hose le, passage i3, inlet'chamber il and port 26 into the bulb and compressing this bulb the corresponding outlet valvc-lii is lifted from its seat and water isolis charged from the bulb through the port 26, upper chamber 22, passage 23 and hose 24 out of the boat.

The several bulbs are thus compressed and released by means which are responsive to the rocking or pitching of the boat either while the same is in use or is moored in waving or undulating Water and unattended. The preferred means for this purpose which embody this invention and shown in the drawings are constructed as follows:

The numeral 3| represents a wobble or nutatingr pressure plate having preferably the form of a disk which is arranged within the casing and adapted to engage differential parts of its periphery with the upper side of one o-r another of said bulbs. This pressure plate has preferably the form o a disk `and vis pivotally mounted at its central part by means of a universal joint on a relatively stationary support so that the same is capable of being tilted at any part oi its periphery on one side of its axis while the diametrically opposite part of this plate is elevated. This universal joint preferably comprises a spherical socket I32 mounted on the lid 2U of theoutletV chamber and centrally with reference to the axis about which the annular row of bulbs is arranged, and a ball 33 rotatable in said socket and secured to the centrai part vci the underside of the wobble plate 3|.

v The Ynumeral 34 represents a rolling presser memberA having preferably the form of a ball made :of steel orother heavy material and adapted toi-ell-circumierentially around .the upper side of the peripheral vpart of the presser plate and cause the same to rock, dip or nutate the presser plate in accordance with the rocking action of the boat on which this pumping apparatus is mounted,

order .to .conne the path to a circle which is above the peripheral part'of ythe presser plate and concentric with the axis thereof an annular guide or silencing ring-35 is mounted `on the casing around the circular path of the presser ball so that the latter asit rolls circumferentially around the peripheral part of the presser plate will engage its outer side with the inner side of the guide ring and thereby held against radial outward movement on the presser plate by the centrifugal force tc which it is subjected while in action. This guide ring is preferably constructed of bre or. `other .cushioning material which will not produce noise when engaged by the presser ball and the is also preferably supported by securing the same between the peripheral ilanges I3, I4 of the casing section by the tightening elect of the bolts i2.

As the boat Arocks in response to undulations of the water in which it rests the presser ball oscillates to a greater or lesser extent circumferenf tiaily on the peripheral part of the presser plate in seeking to maintain its lowest point or position due to the force of gravity, thereby causing different parts of ythe presser plate to be successively depressed in accordance with the varying low point or circumferential position of the presser ball on the presser plate. As the presser ball rolls from one part of the presser plate to another, the respective peripheral parts of the latter are depressed accordingly while those parts of this plate on the diametrically opposite side of its axis are elevated, thereby producing a succession of nutating actions of the plate in various parts of its per-ip! Due to the tilting action of the presser plate its peripheral parts are lowered and raised relative to the eXi-ble bulbs whereby the latter are alternately compressed and released, thereby causingwater to be successively drawn fromA the hold of the boat into the bulbs and discharged overboard in the manner heretofore described.

By these means bilge water is not permitted to accumulate in any large amount but is promptly removed thereby maintaining the hold of the boat in a relatively dry condition and in good condition for service.

Means are provided for lubricating the universal joint between the presser plate and its support'which as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, are preferably constructed as follows:

The numeral 36 represents an oil cup which is arranged on the central part of the upper side of the presser plate and secured thereto by the end of the pipe 39 from the exterior of the appa- Y ratus the same is carried downwardly and discharged from the lower end of the same into the filling of the oil cup. From the latter this oil is carried by capillary action downwardly through an-oil duct Mi in the joint ball 33 and its fastening rivet 38 to the co-operating spherical surfaces between this ball and its socket, thereby maintaining this joint in a lubricated condition and causing the apparatus to Work properly even when only e. moderate rocking of the boat and agitation of the water prevails.

I claim as my invention:

A pumping apparatus for removing water from the hold of a boat comprising a casing having a stationary-annular side wall and a flat bottom, a block mounted on the central part of said bottom and provided with a water inlet chamber and a water outlet chamber, a plurality of expansible.

and compressible pump bulbs arranged in an annular row around said block and resting on the bottom of said casing and each having its inner :ind connected with said inlet chamber by an inwardly opening check valve, a wobble plate a1-V ranged within the wall of said casing and universally pivoted on the top of said block to permit any part of its edge to be depressed relative to the wall sf said casing, and a ball resting with its underside on said wobble plate and its lateral side against said casing wall and rollable in a circular path on said plate and wall around said axis of said plate.

REFERENCES crrcn vThe following references are of lrecord in th le of this patent:

UNITE-D STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 247,142 Woods Sept. 13, 1881 527,248 North Oct. 9, 1894 630.13] Stuth Aug. 1, 1899 666,456 Banning et al. Jan. 22, 1901 680.833 Banning et al Aug. 20, 1901 845,114

Palmer Feb. 26,- 1907 CHESTER I. wEIR. 'y 

